The flashing protect warning light is a problem that many Kenwood car stereo owners have. It usually appears when the device is turned on, and it can be difficult to tell what’s causing this issue.
The good news is that there are several ways you can fix this problem so your Kenwood unit will work properly again. We’ll go over 5 of these fixes in this post, so keep reading!
How to Fix Kenwood Car Stereo Flashing Protect
There are a few reasons and easy fixes of Kenwood “Protect” issue. Let’s learn how to deal with it-
1. Reset the Stereo
The first way to deal with the problem is to reset the car stereo. Try going with the soft reset option to see if that solves it. If that doesn’t work, you may need to hard reset the stereo system for fixing it. Check our detailed guide on how to reset Kenwood car stereo to do that effectively.
2. Disconnect and Reconnect the Speakers
The problem can also be caused by a poor connection between your speakers and the stereo. Try disconnecting all of them, then reconnect each one to see if that fixes it. If you don’t know how to do this properly, find the user manual that comes with the stereo.
The manual should have a detailed explanation regarding wire connections between the stereo and the speakers.
3. Disconnect the Power and Let it Cool Down
Sometimes overheating can cause the stereo to freeze up and show protect mode. If you’ve been using it for hours, let the stereo cool down. This usually takes around 15 to 30 minutes after which the problem should be resolved.
If the problem persists after an hour, try the next steps.
4. Short Circuit Issues
This is very common when amateur users do the wiring stuff without referring to the user manual. You need to start from the battery terminal, and then check the fuse box, stereo connections, and speaker connections to see if there is any short connection that is causing the system to go into protect mode.
Usually, this happens if you leave any connection joints without a plastic protective cover, be it a good plastic connector or tape.
5. Eject CD and Put it Back on
If all of the above steps don’t leave you with a functional stereo device, try ejecting the CD and putting it back on. I don’t how this works but sometimes this technique works like magic!
Since there is no harm in doing that, you should definitely try that out.
If that doesn’t fix it, there might be a bigger issue with your car stereo system and you will need to bring in help from professionals to deal with this kind of situation properly.
Conclusion
You may have to try a few different fixes before you find the one that works for your Kenwood car stereo, but it’s worth it in order to get rid of that annoying protect word from the stereo display.
If all else fails and you’re not sure what is going on with your system, take it to a professional who will be able to diagnose the problem properly and fix it quickly so you can enjoy music again!
It would be pretty easy to unplug the speakers if it were in a car or truck, but mine is inside a Harley fairing and it’s a b*tch to pull it apart every 2 weeks to fix the reoccurring problem. Time to sh*tcan this pos and buy a Rockford Fosgate system